Inflammatory disorders are disorders characterized by the abnormal activation and subsequent migration of white blood cells (WBCs) to affected areas of the body. These conditions encompass a wide range of ailments that affect the lives of millions of people throughout the world. Although some treatments are presently available, many possess significantly side effects or are not very effective in alleviating all symptoms. At the same time, few tests exist that reliably diagnose or monitor the progress of the diseases. Thus, there is a need for drugs and reagents for treatment and diagnosis of inflammatory disorders.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans characterized by several clinical features including wasting syndromes, central nervous system degeneration and profound immunosuppression that results in life-threatening opportunistic infections and malignancies. Two closely related types of HIV, i.e., HIV-1 and HIV-2, have been identified. Of them, HIV-1 is the most common cause of AIDS. Current efforts to treat HIV infection and prevent HIV transmission have focused on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and topical microbicides that kill the virus at the primary entry points or on vaccines that elicit virus-neutralizing antibodies. These strategies target the virus directly. However, given the tremendous genetic and antigenic variability and the high mutation rates of HIV-1, designing vaccines and drugs that are effective against diverse virus isolates circulating worldwide today has been a formidable challenge. Thus, there is as need for novel therapeutic agents and methods for treatment or inhibition of HIV infection.